Dreams

Years ago, I read a book called Steering by Starlight...

"As you do the dream analysis process repeatedly,
you’ll be amazed at the rich payload of your dreams,
how they pack huge amounts of intellectual and emotional
meaning into a brief, strange story. You’ll also see that
all dreams, even nightmares, are there to help you..."

I dream every single night.  Sometimes I remember my dreams in vivid detail, and sometimes I just have a lingering feeling the next morning, but I know I always dream.  My head never turns off.  At night, instead of a blog to ramble on, or a person to have a conversation with, my head just has a different canvas to paint all over.  

Early this morning I had one of those dreams that just stays with you for a long time.  The details were clear and I had more than just small pieces of it with me when I woke up.   It was one of those dreams that I couldn't shake and I couldn't figure out what it meant or what I was supposed to do about it.  (Because that's how I am...I have to DO something about it.)


So, after telling my family and not getting quite the response I was hoping for, and then spending the better part of the morning pondering it and worrying about it, I remembered that I have this whole book about dreams and what they mean.  

It turns out that instead of trying to figure out how to get to Africa and adopt two little babies, my dream was just trying to tell me that there's some hidden potential out there that I haven't tapped into yet.  I'm supposed to be doing something more than what I'm doing.  I already know that.  There's a book, and a Master's, and a library, and genealogy and a thousand other things out there that beckon to me on a regular basis.  Apparently they were just really loud last night.  


"All dreams, even nightmares, are there to help you..."  I love dreams.  I love that they have the ability to move you to do things you might not otherwise do.  Maybe I'll pick one of those "untapped potential things" and work on it...

Beach Volleyball

Where in the world can you do stuff like this in the middle of the week?  (when you live in TEXAS! not Hawaii or California or Florida)  My awesome Beehive Advisor had the BEST idea to play beach volleyball for our combined YW activity tonight.  This amazing place is only about 10 minutes from the church and so much fun!  The girls had a great time and it was a perfect night.  We're definitely doing this again!

 

 

The Voice

Here's why I SUPER LOVE this show...

15 - 1

Last night we went to the world's windy-est baseball game.  It's been 89 degrees here for the last 10 days, but last night the temperature dropped into the frigid 60s!  And with the wind chill, it felt more like 50!  I was bundled up in TWO sweatshirts while I sat and watched the OTHER team rack up 15 runs on the scoreboard.  It was seriously painful.  

The game started at 7:45pm, which in my opinion, is WAY TOO LATE for 8 year olds to play a 100 minute baseball game.  The boys looked tired and draggy and the other team totally capitalized on that.  But, in their last at-bat, Mack put a score on the board.

It's a little blurry, but that score says 15 - 1 (and that 1 belongs to Mack.)  It was a long, cold, agonizing game, but that one little run made it all worth it.  I love ASA baseball.  And I love my little #13 working his butt off to play.  

Groceries

Groceries are kind of a weird thing to love, but I totally do.  I love going to four or five different grocery stores to find the best deals on stuff.  I love restocking the pantry.  I love every other Friday when my grocery money is replenished and I can do it all over again.  And my very favorite part is making the grocery list.  

This weekend was crazy, so I didn't even think about groceries or lists until last night.  I started with the essential stuff and then left the list unattended for a few hours.  When I came back to it, a few additions had been made...

People in my family are pretty funny, huh?  I've spent the morning running around getting 90% of the things on this list...except for the rainbows in a can.  I can't find those.  And I'll have to make sure to let Mack know when he gets home from school that you don't have to BUY French toast and pineapple upside down cake.  I can MAKE that stuff.

It was pretty fun to do my job today...especially with my thoroughly entertaining helpers. 

Choir

I love choir.  I love singing.  I love hanging out with the other cool people that come to choir every Sunday.  And now that two of my girls are also in the choir, it's even more fun.  We're only working on one song right now, and we were waiting for the flautist to arrive, so TCD and I thought we'd shake things up a little and sit with another section.  I'm kind of always drawn to that bass section so I sat next to the Scout Master.  It was SO fun to mix us all up and sing next to a different part.  I haven't done that since high school.  I LOVED it!  

Someone decided to cancel choir next week since it's Mother's Day, but you know what?  I can't think of anything else I'd rather do on Mother's Day than sing.  Maybe we'll just have to practice that song at home next Sunday...
  

Cinco de Mayo

We seriously lucked out with the neighborhood we picked when we first moved here.  I've said a million times that I don't believe in accidents.  I'm sure we were supposed to live in this place at exactly this time.  Sometimes I think that's because of the schools.   Sometimes it's because of the ward or the house or the opportunities that the kids have here that they wouldn't have had anywhere else.  But today, I felt pretty strongly that it's the people who live on this street that make this the perfect fit for us.  

There are two families we're really close to.   They're about our age.  They have standards for their children and their lives that are very similar to ours.  We've gone on date nights with them.  We've celebrated holidays and baptisms with them.  They both have 8 year old boys who, along with Mack, make up the Three Amigos.   These guys do everything together.  They walk to and from school everyday, play baseball in the middle of the street, have late overs, and wouldn't dream of celebrating a birthday unless all three were available.  They rarely argue.  Their sporting equipment and socks are sprinkled between all three of our houses.   I love watching them together.  And I'm SO glad Mack has such great influences around him.

Tonight we were invited to a Cinco de Mayo party at another neighbor's house at the end of the street.  They had a Christmas party in early December and we all heavily hinted that since they had the biggest pool and patio area, they should host another big get together in the spring....and so they did!  They are amazing, kind, generous people and we thoroughly enjoyed our time with them.  Half the neighborhood was there and a few people we hadn't yet met.  We stayed much longer than we planned...which is always an indicator of a good party.  


I'm grateful tonight for warm, wonderful people who open up their home for any occasion.  And guess what their names are?  The LOVE'S!  Isn't that perfectly appropriate.  I LOVE the Love's...and the rest of the people on this street.  I'm so glad we live here.  And I'm so glad there are random reasons for celebration and food...like Cinco de Mayo...that bring us all together.  

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Maxi Dresses

OK, I'm taking you into my closet for a minute for this post...because the things I love the most today happen to be in there...

MAXI DRESSES!  Whoever thought of these things is totally a genius and probably a girl.  They're comfortable, forgiving, roomy, and trendy!  I love that!   And even in the summer I can get away with one of these for running errands, going to lunch, or, with the right accessories, even going to church on Sunday!   Best fashion idea EVER!

Salsa!

Combined YM/YW activity...so fun...super tired...

 our adorable, former BYU ballroom dancers/Salsa instructors for the night

 

 

 

Do you know what I loved most about tonight?...Amazing young men who happily and willingly participated in this activity.  I'm sure they would much rather have been playing football or basketball or just about anything besides learning how to salsa, but they showed up and they smiled and they danced even though it was only every other rotation because they ALWAYS out number the girls.  I love that they know that even though there are lots of other choices they could make on a Wednesday night, mutual is the best choice!  

Tigger

Today was crazy busy.  It started ramping up around 1:30p and the pace just increased as the afternoon went on.  TCD once again talked me into picking her up from school early.  How that girl does that to me every time is a complete mystery!  But it's so much fun to hang out with her that any irritation I feel, instantly disappears the minute she gets in the car.  Today, we had a few million errands to run, so we stopped at Sonic for sustenance (for me that = a giant cup of ice, and for TCD lately that = a medium Diet Coke with cherry and vanilla...which is a lot like drinking the syrup out of a maraschino cherry jar...ew!...but she loves it.)  

TCD is always fun, but she was exceptionally hilarious today in the van driving all over Allen.  Her sense of humor totally surprises me every time.  She is so quick I can barely keep up with her.  But I noticed that the more she drank that Diet Coke, the funnier she got.  By the time we got home two hours later, she was literally bouncing all over the house. She would appear over my shoulder, in my face, or outside the bathroom door every few seconds.  It was like having my own personal Tigger. 

I have never heard my name so many times in one afternoon with so few kids in the house.

"Mommy, let's play all the duets in this piano book."  
"Mommy, we should clean out this refrigerator!"
"Mommy, let's go for a run."

Coming off of the lecture I had to give her on Sunday night about limiting her iPhone time and actually SPEAKING to people and reading things with PAGES, I felt really guilty wishing she would just be still for a minute and stop saying my name.  So, I gave in and played the piano with her.  And then we cleaned out the fridge.  We didn't run because I already did that today.  But it was so nice to put away my other stuff for a little while and just let her guide the afternoon.  I love hanging out with that girl.  And it turns out, everyone needs a little Tigger influence in their lives once in awhile.  

                            TCD:  Mommy, does Diet Coke have caffeine in it?

                            Me:  Um...yep...lots of it.  :)

                            TCD:  I don't think I should get those very often.